Merchandise labeling

Abstract

A unitary sheet-like merchandise labeling article that has a labeling tag flatly conjoined along a unifying flat bond zone with a flexible elastic layer that extends away from the tag and includes an elastic fastening loop. The loop sides that define the loop are wider than the thickness of the elastic layer. Further, the flexible elastic layer that extends away from the tag has a thickness greater than the thickness of the tag and has a dispersion zone adjacent the unifying flat bond zone. The dispersion zone allows dissipation of elastic loop in-line stretching forces sufficiently to reduce transmission of such forces into the bond zone.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A labeling article comprising:
 a material strip comprising a first substantially linear edge; and 
 an elastic sheet comprising an opening and a second substantially linear edge; 
 wherein the elastic sheet and the material strip overlap at an overlap portion between the first and second substantially linear edges, 
 wherein the material strip and the elastic sheet are bonded together at the overlap portion to form a bond zone, and 
 wherein the opening of the elastic sheet is not located on the overlap portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The article of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sheet further comprises a dispersion zone defined between the opening and the bond zone. 
     
     
       3. The article of  claim 2 , wherein the dispersion zone comprises a sufficient size to reduce transmission of stretching forces applied at the opening into the bond zone. 
     
     
       4. The article of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first and second substantially linear edges is about ¼ inch to about ½ inch. 
     
     
       5. The article of  claim 1  wherein a circumference of the opening defines an inner circumference of a loop; and wherein, when the loop is in a maximally stretched condition, the inner circumference is at least three times greater than when the loop is in an unstretched condition. 
     
     
       6. The article of  claim 1  further comprising an intermediate bonding material disposed between the material strip and the elastic sheet in the bond zone. 
     
     
       7. The article of  claim 1  wherein the material strip comprises a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
       8. The article of  claim 1  wherein the material strip comprises high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). 
     
     
       9. The article of  claim 1  wherein the material strip comprises polystyrene and a styrene-butadiene-styrene modifier of up to about 40 percent of a weight of the polystyrene. 
     
     
       10. The article of  claim 1  wherein the material strip has a corona-treated surface. 
     
     
       11. The article of  claim 1  wherein the material strip carries water-resistant printing. 
     
     
       12. A labeling article comprising:
 an elastic sheet having a front surface, a back surface, and a loop; 
 a tag having a tag width, a tag length oriented perpendicularly to the tag width, a front side, and a back side; 
 a bond area having a bond area width and bond area depth; 
 wherein the front surface and back side are in adhered contact over the bond area; 
 wherein the bond area width is defined by the tag width; 
 wherein the bond area depth is defined by a portion of the tag length in adhered contact with the front surface; and 
 wherein the loop of the elastic sheet is not located in the bond area. 
 
     
     
       13. The article of  claim 12  wherein the elastic sheet further comprises a dispersion area having a bond end and a loop end,
 wherein the dispersion area is integral with the bond area at the bond end and is integral with the loop at the loop end, and 
 wherein the dispersion area is sufficiently large to disperse forces due to loop stretching. 
 
     
     
       14. The article of  claim 13  wherein the dispersion area is configured to have:
 a first width proximate the bond area that is substantially equal to the tag width, and 
 a second width that is more narrow than the tag width. 
 
     
     
       15. The article of  claim 12 , wherein the bond area depth is about ¼ inch to about ½ inch. 
     
     
       16. The article of  claim 12  wherein when the loop is in a maximally stretched condition, an inner circumference is at least three times greater than when the loop is in an unstretched condition. 
     
     
       17. The article of  claim 12  further comprising an intermediate bonding material disposed between the tag and the elastic sheet in the bond area. 
     
     
       18. The article of  claim 12  wherein the tag comprises a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
       19. The article of  claim 12  wherein the tag comprises a polymer. 
     
     
       20. The article of  claim 12  wherein the tag has a corona-treated surface.